


Meant No Harm

by dancingontheedge



Category: Mercy Street (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, First Meetings, Gen, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-10 23:34:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11136870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancingontheedge/pseuds/dancingontheedge
Summary: In which Emma, as a Sophomore in college, goes on a club trip and meets Henry for the first time.





	Meant No Harm

Emma was leading a directionless life.  She had gone to an excellent private high school, had a debut, and was a sophomore at a prestigious historically women’s college.  For all her wealth and privilege, Emma had no idea what she wanted with her life.  Her freshman year she had taken nothing but general education requirements, and her parents were getting antsy.

“Your younger sister has been adamant about politics since she was tiny! You’re smart enough! Where’s your ambition?” cried her father at least once a week when she was home.

And her mother brought up the United Daughters of the Confederacy whenever she could.

“Charitable works and public service are the calling of good Christian women,” claimed her mother, who would have been a party planner if she hadn’t been a wife.

After an entire summer of veiled and not-so-veiled _why can’t you be more like Alice_ , Emma joined three of the most active community service groups on campus.  She wouldn’t touch the Daughters with a ten foot pole, but she could at least show her parents she was trying.

This morning, Emma was waiting on the quad for the rest of the–-she consulted her email–- Humanitarian League.  They were meeting at 7:30 to get to the hospital when visiting hours started.  This was her first trip with this group, and she liked to be early.  It was just reaching 7:15.  Emma was half done with her mocha, sitting on a bench playing on her phone when two more people–- probably club officers-– arrived.  Emma eavesdropped on their conversation.  Apparently, twenty was a good amount to sign up for an event.  One officer attributed it to early semester optimism.  His companion, a woman with a pinched and haughty look about her, predicted that at least five wouldn’t show.  That was when Emma decided to introduce herself.

“Hi! I’m Emma–- I RSVP’d to the hospital thing?” Emma said, putting her hand out to shake.  It paid to be outgoing, Alice was always saying so.  Emma was treated to a broad smile and a firm handshake.

“I’m Sam, club president.  Pardon Anne, she’s always sour when she’s hung over.  What year are you?”

“I’m a sophomore, I’m really looking forward to club activities this year.”

“We’re both juniors, pre-med,” Anne said smugly.  She had clearly noticed the lack of a major in Emma’s introduction.  Sam gave her a quelling look, one that practically screamed _don’t drive her away_. 

“The vans will be along soon” Anne said primly as another pair of participants arrived.

Sam looked at Emma, “Anne will be driving one, but it’s no good having her and Mary get them together.  Mary’s a physics major and pre-med– it drives Anne bonkers because she’s awful at physics.”  

He excused himself, going to talk to more arrivals.

Goodness, Emma thought, it was intimidating, being around so many people who knew what they were doing.  But maybe it would be good for her.

Fifteen minutes later, eighteen people were loaded into two vans which were on their way to the hospital.  Emma was in the middle seat of the back row, because she was small.  On her right was a blonde freshman who smelled vaguely of weed, and on her left was the clean cut senior who had arrived with Mary and the vans.

He was good looking, in a boy-next-door kind of way– nothing like Frank’s sharp good looks.  But there was something else about him that had Emma stealing glances out of the corner of her eye.  She couldn’t quite place it, the reason looking at him made her smile.

Splitting her attention between her phone and her seatmate, Emma didn’t notice the sharp turn that the van was taking just a hair too fast.  She started to tip, and flung her hand out to brace herself.  Against his thigh.  Once Emma was steady again, she snatched her hand back and felt her face heat up.  She brought her hands up to cover her cheeks and hopefully hide what she was sure was a very bright blush.

“Oh my gosh I’m so sorry!  Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry,” she all but babbled.  Her voice had gone up a few notes from her normal speaking range, and she felt a fluttery panic at the top of her chest.  She was also looking anywhere but at him, and did not notice him reaching his hand up until he touched her left wrist.  She felt a frisson as he gently pulled her hand away from her face.

“It’s okay,” he said.  His voice was low and smooth and soothing.  “I know you meant no harm.  I’m Henry Hopkins; I haven’t seen you around before?”

“Emma Green, and this is my first time with this club.”  She had calmed down considerably, and the panicked flutter had relocated to the base of her sternum– she felt like giggling.

“Well Emma, we’re happy to have you.  I look forward to getting to know you better this year–”  Henry cut himself off and dropped her hand like it was on fire.  He had clearly just noticed that he hadn’t let it go, and the slightest bit of pink colored his cheeks.  Emma smiled; at least it wasn’t just her who had been embarrassed before 8:00 in the morning today.

* * *

 Henry felt the heat on the back of his neck that meant he was blushing.  He kept looking at her though; there was still a slight pink tinge to her cheeks.  He could feel the ghost-like impressions of her hand where she had touched him.

He had been studiously not looking at her, before she had overbalanced and braced herself with his thigh.  He had looked enough to see pale skin and dark hair and a fine figure in jeans and a dark green shirt.  He had looked enough to know that too much interaction would be dangerous for him, because if her personality was as lovely as her looks he’d be half in love with her inside of a month.  And that would be–- inconvenient.

But he was looking now.  Had introduced himself, even.  And her name was Emma.  And she had blue eyes and a delightfully subtle drawl.  And he had been looking at her just a few seconds too long without saying anything.  He looked down at his hands.

“So.  Um.  Where are you from?” he asked.

“Alexandria, Virginia.  You?”

“Oh, middle of nowhere Wisconsin.  My high school served two towns.  Do you like Alexandria?”

“It’s nice–- it’s good to be away from home, though.  You know?”

Henry nodded to her question, and could have kicked himself.  Nodding was not the way to keep a conversation going.  The silence stretched on.

“What’s your favorite kind of cheese?”  Emma asked suddenly, startling a laugh out of Henry.  He couldn’t keep the incredulous look off his face, and it prompted Emma’s blush to return.

“Well, it’s just, you said you were from Wisconsin and cheeseheads and-–” the van pulled up to the hospital, “–- Oh thank God.  Ignore me.  That was stupid.”

Stars but she was pretty when she was flustered.  The corner of Henry’s mouth crooked up.

“Don’t worry about it.  And gouda,” he said, with a smile in his voice.

And so commenced the awkward business of ten college students getting out of a van with only three doors.

 

 


End file.
